It's a honey of an O!

No, the blog today is not, in fact, about Cheerios. However, if you guessed it's about honey- YOU WIN!!!

Let's continue on in the wonderful world of all natural beauty. HONEY! Or, as my high school science teacher once called it "bee barf." No joke. Now, we've all heard of the Burt's Bees company. This genius along with the Savannah Bee guy figured out a long time ago that you could use honey for more than just biscuits. While they primarily use the honeycomb and wax part, you do know you can actually use the honey, right? Well, here are a few ideas.

Oh, and before we get into the actual tips, let me remind you that buying raw honey from a local farmer's market is always recommended. It's unfiltered and has more of the good stuff still in it. Plus, you'll be supporting your local economy as opposed to buying something that got shipped across the country and isn't really fresh.

1. Honey is high in an antimicrobial agent. Got a zit? Dab some honey on it and let it sit. Wipe off with warm water after 20 minutes or so.

2. Mix 1 tsp honey with enough almond flour to make a paste. Use as an exfoliant on your face. Rinse off with warm water when you are done.

3. Got some rough hands? Wash hands with warm water and then leave slightly damp. Mix 1 tsp honey with 1 tsp olive oil. Stick your hands in some plastic bags and then some cotton gloves that you've warmed in the dryer. Leave on for 30 minutes.

Plus, remember that actually eating honey has some amazing health benefits as well. If you have seasonal allergies, it is recommended that you get raw honey from around where you live. Since the honey was made with flowers from your area, it will actually help your body fight off the allergies. Kind of the same idea behind getting shots. Introduce a tiny bit to the body so that it can "learn" to fight it off.

You say toe-may-toe...

Yep, more natural beauty info! Now, if you all want to try these suggestions from this week, remember that if you have a health food store in your area, you can buy organic!

Ok, so tomatoes! (Or toe-maaah-toes. However you like to say it!) Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A and C. Natural antioxidants! So, here are some great ways to use them on the outside:

1. Remove an overripe tomato's skin. Crush slightly in a blender , mix with 1 tsp of honey, and then spread on your face. Rinse off with warm water after 15 minutes. This is especially good for normal to oily skins as tomatoes contain oil absorbing acids and natural exfoliants and the honey has anti-bacterial properties.

2. Got a zit? Apply some organic tomato paste to it to absorb the oil and help speed recovery.

3. You can mix tomato juice and rosewater for a great toner in the t-zone!

And to continue with a theme...

I know we were discussing both cheap beauty finds and natural beauty finds this week. So, here's one that I am pretty sure most of you will be able to use. Coffee. Yep, damp coffee grounds can be used to perk up lots of areas of your skin.

1. Take damp coffee grounds and use them to exfoliate thighs and stomach area before your shower. Caffeine is a natural way to fight the appearance of cellulite, even temporarily.

2. Mix coffee grounds with an egg white and apply to your face for a mask that will brighten and tighten your skin. Bonus- while you are rinsing the mask off, rinse in circular motions so that you are also gently exfoliating your skin.

3. If you have dark brown or black hair, brew some strong espresso and add to dry hair. Leave this on for 30 minutes and then shampoo out. You'll have some great sparkling highlights.

4. Enjoy a FRESHLY brewed cup of coffee, in moderation of course. It contains cancer-fighting antioxidants that are just as strong as vitamins C and E

Quick, raise your hand...

...if you're broke! Or if at least money's a little tight in this economy. (Um, how do you raise your hand in a blog? Well, consider my hand raised.)

Here's the good thing. There are several ways you can be a beauty-on-a-budget. My absolute favorite ways would be the following:

Q-Tips. For the love of Pete, always have them. They are the ULTIMATE beauty tool. Why? Well, think about it. They can be used to dab concealer in tiny little places and on the tops of blemishes that need to be covered. They are just the right size for dotting highlighter along your cheekbones or browbones and then blending. And in a pinch, they are just about the best eye makeup applicators around. You can use them to apply and blend shadow. You can get the end damp and dip into shadow to line the eye. You can use them to smudge your eyeliner for a great smoky effect. They are also just the right size for any cleanup that needs to be done, whether it's mascara smudged on your lid or some stray color that it somewhere that you don't want it to be.

If you are not using the makeup line Eyes Lips Face (e.l.f. cosmetics for those in the know), you should be ashamed of yourself. They are great quality products. And all the makeup is $1.00. Yes, you read that right- ONE DOLLAR. Where can you find this magical makeup? www.eyeslipsface.com. I have used everything from the eyeshadows to liners to lip colors to highlighters from this company and I've never been disappointed. I've even used some of their products on brides on wedding days because I knew they would hold up. Head over to the site and peruse. See what you find that you like!

Anyone else have any fun, money saving beauty tips they can't live without???